His Imprint
by Grooms.BreAnn
Summary: What if Bella never found out about the wolves after Jake phased because he imprinted on Angela Weber? Bella is back for the summer to help her two best friends plan their wedding when she runs into a certain wolf.
1. The Beginning

_I know I have been gone for many moons but if there's anyone still out there, know that I love you! And you rock. I've rewritten the first couple chapters so please reread. Much love._

BPOV

Seeing the familiar roads back to my old home through a slightly rain spattered windshield was oddly satisfying. I had been back only a handful of times since graduating from Forks High. Charlie had come to visit a few times and of course to see me graduate from Seattle University. But I had seen him just twice for Christmas, once my first year of college and then again last December. I found my old home didn't hold anything for my new life. Yet, here I was making the three hour drive to spend my summer in La Push. When Angela called me a month ago and told me she was getting married to Jake I couldn't have been happier for my two best friends. I was shocked when she asked me to be her maid of honor but I accepted without hesitation.

I had stayed in contact with just Angela, as well as Jake but it had been almost a year since I had seen them. I had spoken to Angela and Jake a week ago and they insisted that I stay with them for the summer. They were living in a beautiful house that Jake had built for them. I had only seen it through pictures but from those alone I could tell Jake had done an amazing job.

I had wanted to visit before now but I had only been a teacher for a year and didn't have the seniority the other teachers did so I didn't get the same time off, at least that was the excuse I used. Every time Angela or Charlie would invite me down. I just didn't feel like I belonged there anymore.

Even though it was an exhausting job at times, I still found teaching incredibly rewarding. Mostly I was happy for the distraction, ever since Edward had left me after my 17th birthday I was never the same person. Sure I had healed, I no longer loved Edward but I never moved on, thought I had the opportunity more than once nothing ever felt right.

As I pulled into an unfamiliar driveway I turned off my car, I had to buy a new one after my truck had roared its last roar just a year into college. I was about to open my door when it was yanked open for me and I was pulled from my seat into a huge bear hug that could rival the hugs Emmett used to give me.

"Bells! What took you so long?" Jake asked swinging me back and forth my feet hanging a foot off the ground.

"Geez Jake, how tall are you now? Aren't you supposed to stop growing after high school?" I teased him, he really was huge, he had to be 6'7" by now. I wrapped my arms around him and hugged him back with all my strength. I hadn't seen him in almost a year; I had at least 365 hugs to make up for.

Once he put me down I took a step back and got a look at him, he had grown up. He was more masculine; his jaw squared and had a bit of stubble on it. His hair was cut short like the last time I had seen him but it looked good on him.

"You look good Jake," I smiled at him.

"Thanks Bells, you look skinny. Are you eating enough?" he asked eyeing me.

"My eating is fine Jake," I rolled my eyes at him; he was starting to sound like Charlie.

"Sure, sure." He said looking skeptical, he opened my back door and started to grab my things. We chatted while we brought all my belongings into the spare room I would be calling home for the next couple weeks.

My apartment in Port Angeles, where I stayed during the summer when I wasn't teaching in Seattle, wasn't an hour away but since I would helping Angela plan the wedding most every day we agreed it would be silly to drive back and forth. Once all my things were inside I took a look around at Jakes house and I was impressed.

"Jake…did you really build this?" I asked astonished, I hadn't paid much attention when we were lugging my things from the car. Now that I could take a look around, I was thoroughly impressed. It was a one story house like most on the Res but the ceilings were vaulted in every room and all the doors were huge. Looking at Jakes tall frame it made sense. I wouldn't want to have to duck through doorways in my own house either.

The curved windows were large to let in the natural light and it made the whole place open up. The entryway led straight to the open living room. There was a deep green L-shaped couch along with several other seating options in the same green color that reminded me of the trees in the forest right outside the door. The kitchen wasn't huge but sizeable compared to others in the neighborhood. I was sure that was more for Angela's use than Jakes.

"Yea, I had a lot of help from some of the guys on the Res," he said looking shy, rubbing the back of his head. He looked adorable like this, when he looked like the same warm hearted young boy I had met so many years ago.

"You guys have a construction company out here right?" I remembered Angie saying something about it briefly. That must be how he built this wondrous house we were standing in. I briefly pondered how many houses he had built here on the Res.

"Sam's the owner, do you remember him?" Jake asked. Sam and I had met once right after Edward left me in the woods, not a day I was likely to forget.

"Kinda hard to forget," I smiled at him. Sam had been the one to find me and bring me back to Charlie. I tried not to think of that day, or what would have become of me had Sam not found me that night huddled on the forest floor.

"Right, so tell me about your class." Jake said walking into his living room, I was thankful he didn't linger on the subject. We grabbed a seat on the huge couch; he threw his arm over the back and tucked me into his side. He still had an almost scalding body temperature, it had been like this ever since he had gotten so sick junior year.

"They're amazing, I didn't know 4th graders could be so into art but they all really seem to love it," I said craning my neck to look up at him.

"Well duh Bells, they have the best teacher ever," he said matter-of-factly. I laughed; I had really missed Jake it felt so easy to be around him. I was always astonished by how much more comfortable he was to be around than Edward. Though, looking back, I can't really remember why it was appealing to spend all my time with a human popsicle…though maybe human wasn't the best choice of words.

We talked for a long time, just catching up. He told me about the auto shop he was running part-time while still working full time at Sam's contracting company. I told him he was beyond crazy. I could barely handle one job and it was still running me ragged. And I had summers off! He insisted he had more help at the shop than he knew what to do with, but that the Res was more of a job than anything else.

I told him about my class. My wondrous little artists, they had amazed me every day without fail. The different ways they all learned. The astounding works of art they could produce at an incredibly young age. I loved my job, but more I loved my students, they were my family. Each and every one, I told Jake all this with tears in my eyes. Saying goodbye to them all at the end of this year was the second most painful thing I've ever gone through. All the other teachers told me that my first class would be the hardest to let go of but I really couldn't see myself reacting any other way.

I tried to explain to Jake, when I teach those kids and when they react to you and hope for your approval, it's the most humbling thing I've ever experienced. I felt like I was a mother and friend to all those children. Jake looked at me with a sparkle in his eye and said he understood exactly what I meant.

Some of the younger kids on the Res were why he had so much help at his auto shop. He was teaching them everything automotive, and basically how to run the shop. Apparently these were the kids that would spend their whole lives on the Res like so many others. He wanted to make sure they didn't spend their lives being bums, and they looked to him as not only a teacher but like a brother. He too felt humbled by them, the look in his eye told me they were his family and he would do anything for them, he almost got emotional. I was touched. I had missed my friend, his warm smile, his energy was infectious. I realized then he was more than my friend, he was my brother, one of the only family members I had that I truly felt close to.

I told myself then, I wouldn't ever go so long again between seeing Jake. He was my rock, I knew no matter what he would be there for me and I promised myself I would do them same for him should he ever need it.

"Where's Angie?" I asked after maybe an hour, I would have thought she'd be home by now.

"She's down at the beach helping set up for the bonfire tonight, a little 'Happy Engagement' party kinda thing," he said smiling, I could tell he was thinking of her by that goofy smile, his Angela smile the one reserved only for her.

"Should we go down and help?" I asked.

Jake looked up at the clock hanging just outside the kitchen wall. I hadn't really given a good look to the kitchen. I knew Jake had designed the house but the kitchen was really something. I wasn't sure who it looked like more, Jake or Angela. The cabinets were a warm chestnut color with beautifully carved wooden handles, it was hard to tell from the couch but they almost looked like wolves. Warm granite countertops covered the cabinets and the backsplash. There were signs of their heritage everywhere, Quileute saying beautifully carved above the doorways. It felt like home.

"It's almost 6 o'clock. We can probably start to head that way actually, everyone will be there around 6:30." He said getting up and stretching his long arms high above his head and again I could see the need for high ceilings. I got up and followed him out the front door; it was maybe a 10 minute walk from his place to the beach so we didn't bother taking a car.

"So Bells, are you going to have a plus one to the wedding?" Jake asked keeping his eyes straight ahead.

"Is that your way of asking if I'm seeing anyone?" I teased, nudging him with my shoulder.

"Well…yea. I just need to know if I need to scare the crap out of anyone," he smirked down at me.

"No Jake, I'm not seeing anybody." I rolled my eyes at him.

"Can I ask why? You still not over Cullen?" he sneered when he said Edwards last name.

"I was seventeen Jake, it hurt me when he left but I got over it, you helped me get over him. I guess I just haven't found the right guy yet and I don't see a point in just dating for the sake of not being alone." I explained. After being with a vampire and thinking you were going to spend eternity with your supposed soulmate, it seemed kinda stupid to screw around just for fun.

"I guess I can understand that, but don't you ever get lonely?" he asked me seriously.

I looked up at him a little shocked; Jake was never the one to inquire about my lack of a dating life. He had been their first hand to see the aftermath of Edward.

Thinking about it though, it made sense. He was about to marry the love of his life, he didn't want me to end up alone. I wasn't sure if I ever would find someone to fill the giant hole inside my heart.

It wasn't just that I got dumped, I wasn't that juvenile. My entire family had left me behind; Alice my beautiful crazy sister dropped me like I was last season's Louboutin's. Same with Esme, Emmett, Carlisle; when they all left with Edward I realized they never truly saw me as one of them. Just a pawn in a game to pass time that was what caused my true heartbreak. I had lost the only people I truly felt were my family.

"Sure I am, sometimes. Not often though, my kids keep me busy and when I'm not at work I have my art to keep me company." I told him honestly, I really didn't miss having a boyfriend, I wasn't sure I would be any good at having one now that I had been alone for so long.

"Fourth graders and paint aren't the same as a boyfriend Bells," he said looking stern.

"Jacob Black, you sound like my mother." I laughed at him but it was kinda true.

"Hey! I do not!" he said in defense.

"You do too! You sound like you're about to try and set me up on a blind date honestly," I teased. We were getting close to the beach now. I could always smell the beach before I could see it. This beach was my absolute favorite. It didn't have the warm salty smell like beaches in Florida where my mother and Phil lived. It smelled like a crisp cool morning, with hints of seagrass and just a bit of the forest trees mixed in. This smell felt more like home than any other smell I could think of, and I loved it.

"I just worry about you Bells, I don't want you to be alone forever," Jake said interrupting me from my thoughts. "But trust me, you don't want to get involved with my friends," he chuckled.

"Should I be worried about you? Do I need to call your father and have a parent teacher conference?" I mocked him using my teacher voice I reserved for when the kids were being particularly bad.

"Very funny Bells, no they really are all good guys they're just…a hand full." He said looking down at me, I gave him a curious look but he just shrugged his shoulders.

We walked to rest of the way in a comfortable silence; once we got close I could see a lot of people already there. Some of them I recognized from school but most of them I hadn't ever met.

I scanned the faces looking for one in particular when I finally saw her I went to her at a run.

"Angie!" I yelled and saw her turn at the sound of her name, when she saw it was me she started to run at me. I hadn't seen Angie since the last time I saw Jake. We had gotten closer than close after Edward left because Ben had just dumped her to date Lauren of all people. We leaned on each other and I was actually the one to introduce her to Jake. He helped her heal after Ben and I'm sure she saw how truly amazing he was just as I did

Once we had gotten to each other I pulled her into a hug, it had been over it was far too long since I could hug her familiar frame.

"Oh god Bella, I can't believe you're here. What took you so long?" she asked the same question as her soon to be husband and I laughed.

"I came as soon as I could," I said still hugging her; I really didn't want to let go.

"Let me look at you," she said pulling back and looking me up and down. "My god, you look hot Bella," she winked at me.

"You look beautiful as usual," I said smiling back. "Ok, I need to see thing ring," I told her holding out my hand, it was time for girl talk.

She placed her left hand in mine and saw the most stunning engagement ring I'd ever seen. The band was a warm yellow gold twisted around it was a slightly more slender rose gold band around and resting in the middle was a square diamond surrounded by a ring of smaller red stones.

"Dear god Angie, it's amazing!" I said, stunned. "Did Jake pick this out himself?" I asked.

"Jake designed the whole thing himself! Then Paul made it for him, you'll meet him later tonight," she explained, a beautiful sparkle in her eyes. I always thought people were being silly when they said brides glowed because they were so in love but Angela was absolutely shining.

"Well the kid did good," I said approvingly.

"I'm glad you think so," Jake said coming up and bending down to give Ang a kiss, and wrapping his arms around her much smaller frame. I smiled at them, they were so in love. I was happy to see my two best friends find their other half; it was so obvious to me that they would be together forever.

"Alright Bella let me introduce you to everyone," Ang said grabbing my hand and pulling me toward the crowd.

"Hey Em! Come here, I want to introduce you to someone," Ang yelled at a native man half way between us and the unlit bonfire. Once he turned I immediately recognized his face though he had grown considerably since I last saw him.

"Embry this is Bella, Bell this is Embry." Ang said.

"Yea, we met once I don't know if you remember me though," I said waving.

"Of course I remember it's good to see you again Bella!" He beamed down at me before he pulled me into a hug. I chuckled but I was thrilled he felt so comfortable with me, I remembered him being incredibly shy. Stepping back I got a look at him, he was tall, if I had to guess I would have said he was at least 6'4" if not taller. Of course, it seemed like everyone here was freakishly tall. He was handsome not unlike Jake but he had more of that boyish charm. Jakes face had seemed to be a little more serious, his smile was always present but his eyes I could see were focused, almost as if he was on alert.

As Angie, Jake and I made the rounds they introduced me to a lot of people from the Res I didn't know, they all seemed to treat me like family as soon as they met me. I wasn't likely to remember all of their names but it didn't seem like they cared, I was here so I was family.

There were a few people from Forks I caught up with but the exchange was much less friendly than with the people from the Res. When we were finally done we ended up chatting with Sam Uley and his wife Emily who I loved. We were talking about recipes and what it was like teaching fourth graders; turns out that Emily was a fourth grade math teacher. I hadn't felt this at home with a group of people in a long time; actually the Cullen's always made me feel like I was less than them. That wasn't the case here, I was an equal.

"Hey Sam, where are Paul and Quil?" Jake asked.

"I think they're still running around, they should be here soon though." Sam said his arm wrapped around Emily. Though she was extraordinarily beautiful, her face was marred with three vertical claw marks that started just below her hair line and led past the collar of her shirt. Jake told me before he introduced us that Emily was attacked by a bear years ago, but I thought she was more than beautiful inside and out.

"Paul is my best man, I can't wait for you to meet him," Jake said with a mischievous smile on his lips and a glint in his eye.

"Should I be scared?" I asked turning my head to Angie who was trying not to roll her eyes.

"Paul is a character, that's for sure." She said trying to hold back a smile, I looked at her curiously. Maybe he was one of those friends who were a "handful" as Jake had said earlier.

It wasn't ten minutes later, that two guys came walking down the beach, both ridiculously tall. There had to be something in the water here, people just weren't this tall.

"Paul, Quil come over here. There's someone I want you to meet," Jake yelled waving them over, as they both jogged over to us I noticed neither was wearing a shirt. Not an odd thing to see at the beach but they had come out of the forest which was a bit odd.

"Bells, this is Quil I don't know if you remember him." Jake said pointing to the shorter of the two.

"I remember meeting someone a lot shorter but I think it was you," I teased reaching out to shake his hand; Quil laughed pushing my hand aside and pulling me into a hug.

"Yea, I remember you too. I think you got shorter though," he teased me right back. I liked him already.

"And this is Paul, my best man." Jake said and I looked up into his eyes for the first time and all the air left my lungs.

He was the most good-looking man I'd ever seen, even more so than Edward and all the Cullen men combined. He was hand broad shoulders and well-defined arms. Standing next to Jake I could see that he was almost if not just as tall; his face looked rough under his strong jaw line but there in his eye was a softness that touched me. I opened my mouth to say something but there were no words because I had seen his face before though we had never met.

I wasn't sure how long we stood there in silence before I heard Jake mutter under his breath.

"Oh shit," I looked up at him confused. I was having a hard time catching my breath, it was like I couldn't take in any air it was all just going out.

When I looked back over at Paul he was shaking all over, it almost looked like he was shivering but violently. His hands were clenched into fists like he was about to hit someone and his faced as pinched as though he was in pain.

"Take care of Bella, we'll be back," Jacob shouted to Ang. As he, Sam, and Quil all grabbed Paul by the upper arms and pulled him from the beach back into the forest. The whole time he kept looking back at me, but every time he did it seemed like his shaking got worse.

"Come on babe, lets grab some food," Ang said softly touching my arm making me jump.

She pulled me by the hand over to a log and sat me down, going to grab me a plate of food. When she came back I sat there looking down at it not sure what to do. I wasn't hungry in the slightest, in fact I felt a bit sick to my stomach. I had no idea what just happened but not only was my stomach hurting, it felt like my heart was slowly being ripped from my chest.

For maybe an hour I sat there in between Angie and Emily. They brought people over and started to talk but it was like I couldn't function. All I could see in my head was his face, I tried to talk at first but after a while I decided I wasn't up for it and started to take the short walk back to Angie and Jakes house.

Once inside I went straight to my room and grabbed my portfolio with my most precious works of art. I took them into the dining room and spread them all out in front of me trying to make some sort of sense out of the events tonight.

I wasn't sure how long I was there before I heard Angela call my name from the front door but I didn't say anything.

She found me sitting at the table with my portfolio still spread out in front of me.

"Bella, are you ok?" she asked putting a hand on my shoulder, I didn't say anything. "What are you looking…" she stopped short and gasped after she saw the drawings I had laid on the table.

"Bella, when did you draw these?" she asked me, her hand slightly covering her mouth in shock.

"This one I drew two years ago when I was in college," I said pointing out a charcoal portrait I'd done. "This one I did less than a year ago," I pulled forward a watercolor of a particularly intense pair of brown eyes. "This one I finished last week," I showed her an oil painting with the same subject, a young native man.

"When I first started them I thought it was Jake, but the more I saw him in my dreams…face isn't right and the eyes..." I said running a finger over the face of a man I had drawn a hundred times.

He had plagued my mind, this young native man from my dreams. Angela sat down next to me, her hand coming to rest over mine.

We sat for a while both just looking at the pictures covering the table. There was at least fifty, all of the same person, some in color, others in black and white but all the same man. A man who, until today, I thought only existed in my dreams. But he was real, he was here in La Push, and his name was Paul.

"Ang, what's happening?" I asked in a slightly shaky voice with pricks of tears in my eyes. She squeezed the hand resting on mine.

"We need to find Jake."


	2. The Aftermath

_Thank you for your patience, if there is anyone still out there please let me know._

"What does Jake have to do with any of this?" I asked but of course, Jake was the one in control of the whole situation at the beach.

"He's with Paul; he should be the one to explain everything." Ang said smiling at me reassuringly, and then she got up and grabbed the phone dialing a number before walking into the other room. When she came back in the room she sat down across from me.

"They'll be here I a few minutes; Jake wanted me to let you know that Paul can be a bit of a hot head so just, um…be careful," Ang told me.

"Um…ok?" a hot head…that didn't exactly put me at ease.

We waited in silence for maybe five minutes when Jake came in through the back door. I wasn't sure why he'd walked all the way around the house instead of just using the front door.

"Hey Bells," Jake said coming in. We both stood and went to him. He squeezed my shoulder before giving Ang a quick kiss. "Alright Bella, Paul is out back waiting for you but I wanted to talk to you about a few things before we go out there." Jake said looking at me.

"Alright…" I said when he didn't continue.

"Do you remember a few years ago when you came down to First Beach with your friends?" he asked me.

"Back in high school? Yea, I remember," I told him, I had gone to try and figure out what was going on with Edward.

"Do you remember the legends I told you about?" he asked. That seemed a bit random but I knew Jake had to be going somewhere with it.

"About the Cold Ones, yes." Jake laughed a very dry laugh.

"I guess it makes sense that you'd remember that part best, what else do you remember?" Jake asked me seriously.

"Um…the only other thing you said was something about wolves," I was really reaching far back in my memory; it seemed like a hundred years ago, a different lifetime, a different Bella.

"That's right, the Quileute are decedent from wolves," Jake said nodding.

"Ok?" He was really making me feel slow I still had no idea where he was going with this. Jake sighed then turned to look out the back door.

"I guess I'll just let Paul explain the rest, come on." He said holding out a hand for me to take. He walked me to the back door, opening it and motioning for me to go first.

It took a moment for my eyes to adjust to the darkness but once they did I saw a tall native man standing a few feet away, it was Paul. He was looking at the ground, clenching and unclenching his hands. Jake and Ang both stepped outside with me.

"Bella, Paul would like to explain a few things," Jake said from behind me but I couldn't look away from the man in front of me.

"Hi," I said making his head shoot up. His gaze was so intense it knocked the wind out of me. "I don't think we've been properly introduced yet, I'm Bella Swan. It's nice to meet you." I said, holding out my hand. He took a step forward and grabbed my hand but his eyes never left mine. The instant his skin touched mine it was like an electric current went through me but it wasn't an unpleasant feeling.

"Paul Lahote," he said. "I just wanted to say sorry for running off earlier." He said I wasn't sure what to say so I just asked the first thing that came to my head.

"Why did you?" I asked, he still hadn't let go of my hand but oddly I didn't want him to, though I'm sure we looked a little strange standing there with our hands still together.

Instead of answering me he looked up at Jacob with question in his eyes, I didn't turn to look but Paul must have gotten his answer because he nodded his head once and let go of my hand. He looked at me then turned his back and started to walk away.

I took a step forward reaching for him but I felt Jakes hand on my shoulder; Paul kept walking till he was in the tree line where I couldn't see him.

"Just give him a second Bells," he said. I looked up at him confused. "He'll be back," he told me. I turned back to the spot where he had gone into the forest. For a moment nothing happened but then I saw movement.

I was squinting, but I was sure I'd seen something but it wasn't Paul. It was dark and it looked almost silver it was…fur. I took a step back and hit Jakes chest; what was going on? I felt Angela grab my hand, and then I saw it. It was a wolf, but it was more than that because this wasn't just any wolf, it was enormous.

I felt my lungs empty for what felt like the hundredth time tonight, standing in the tree line was a wolf almost the size of a horse. It had dark silver fur covering its entire body and its eyes, they were more. It wasn't just an animal; I could see that in its eyes, I could also see something else. It was Paul, I couldn't see it in the fur or the shape, but there in the eyes I could see it.

The wolf took a step forward and I tried to take another step back shaking my head.

"I don't understand, what's going on? I don't…" I trailed off. At my words the wolf dropped down to its belly and started to whine. Then I started to feel it, hurt, rejection, fear, and self-loathing. The onset of these emotions made me drop to my knees; these were not feelings of mine. I didn't know where they were coming from but it felt like my heart was breaking in two.

"Stop, please…" I said breathless. The wolf stopped whining, though the feelings didn't go away they weren't as debilitating. I looked up at the wolf in front of me and looked into its eyes. There was such sadness, a deep sorrow that had so much more to do with than just the situation at hand.

I stood slowly and started to walk towards him, he's eyes followed me the whole way. When I was standing in front of him I decided to kneel down next to him. I reached out a shaking hand and touched the fur on his head, it was softer than I would have thought possible. I looked into his eyes and saw hope, true hope and it was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen.

"Paul…" I said, and I knew it was over. I didn't understand what was going on but whatever it was, I was in. I was all in.

Paul POV

Quil and I had just gotten done with patrol and were headed to the bonfire. My dumbass best friend had just popped the question to his beautiful imprint and of course she had said yes. When he asked me to be the best man I was over the fucking moon, I told him I was only going to do it because that meant a bachelor party which meant strippers but there was more than that. Though I would never admit it out loud I was proud of the little shit and there was no way in hell I was going to let anyone else be his best man.

As we got closer to the fire I could hear Jake, once he saw me he waved me over. Suddenly I smelled something amazing. It wasn't the food. I could smell it and though it did smell good this smell was something else entirely. I took a deep breath in trying to place it, it was a kind of flower one that I had smelled before but not here in Washington. This flower smelled like spring, it took me a moment to place it but when I did it was like I was hit by a Mack truck. Wisteria, I had been with my mother on my way to visit my grandparents on the East Coast for the first and only time. The smell was so strong I couldn't understand why it was here on a beach in Washington.

I took another breath; there was something else there too. Vanilla, not like shitty fake vanilla ice cream smell, it was real fresh vanilla. I started walking towards the smell not caring about Jake anymore only caring about finding where this smell was coming from. I picked up my pace smelling my way there the entire time, and then I found it. It was a girl, the most beautiful girl I had ever seen in my life. Her hair was dark brown and fell in waves almost to her shoulders. She was smiling which made me unbelievably happy, I would have been happy to just stare at her all night but she turned to look. Not at me but at Quil which pissed me off, it was then I realized he had followed me. What the fuck was he doing here? He reached out and pulled the girl in front of us to his chest and I wanted to fucking kill him, what made him think he could do that? Then she looked up at me and everything stopped.

Nothing could have prepared me for what this felt like, I had seen it in the guy's heads. Jake, Sam, Jared, and even Quil but seeing it was nothing like feeling it. For a moment after I looked in her eyes it was like gravity was turned off it was no longer holding me down to the earth for half a second I was floating but then I felt it. The pull, like someone had taken a red hot wire and tied it around my heart and connected it to this beautiful girl. She was my gravity now; she was the thing holding me down. This red hot wire between us was the only thing that made sense, how had I lived my life up to this point without this feeling?

I realized I had imprinted.

Suddenly I was turned around and being pulled away; the beautiful girl was getting further and further away. I looked around and saw Jake, Sam, and Quil were taking me away from her. I kept looking back, I didn't understand why they would try and take me away from my imprint. But then I realized I was shaking, I was shaking all over but I couldn't stop looking at her.

I didn't even know her name yet but she was my world, and they were taking me away from her. The shaking got worse and I knew what was going to happen. It had been years since I lost control like this, phased without meaning to and I was going to. It was about to happen, I could feel the familiar sensation in my bones. I remember the first time I phased like it was yesterday. I could feel the bones snapping under my skin, every single bone in my body was twisting and breaking. The sensation was much what I imagine hell to be like. Though after years of phasing it was like slipping on a second skin.

As I was failing to control my phasing I realized something, I almost phased in front of her. A flash of Emily's face ran through my mind and suddenly I exploded.

How could I have done that? It was so fucking stupid, she could have gotten hurt! It didn't matter that I was pissed at Quil for touching her! I almost hurt her, the girl I would never, could never hurt, I had almost done it.

What the fuck was wrong with me?!

" _Nothing is wrong with you; you need to calm down Paul."_ It was Jake inside my head, he had phased too. But there was something wrong with me; I had been close to phasing, close to hurting the one person who mattered now. Another image of Emily's beautiful scarred face flashed through my mind and I felt Sam wince.

" _Fuck I'm sorry Sam! Fuck!"_ I had to get out of there, I had to run.

" _Paul, stop running!"_ It was Sam, he was running beside me but I couldn't stop. I had to get away, I wasn't good, I wasn't good enough for her, I'd almost hurt her. I couldn't do that, I wouldn't do it.

" _You aren't going to hurt her Paul, I know you're freaking out but you have to stop"._ Jake said and I could see flashes in his mind, pictures of my girl in his mind. She was younger but still painfully beautiful, why did Jake know what my girl looked like? How did he have memories of her that I didn't? It seemed wrong.

" _It's Bella, Paul. My friend from Seattle,"_ I stopped dead in my tracks. That was her name, Bella. It seemed so perfect; I just watched for a second the pictures in Jakes head of my girl, my Bella. She was at the beach smiling, she couldn't have been older than 16. Then another flash, she was in the kitchen cooking maybe a year older now still smiling but this time she looked thinner, too thin. Her beautiful face was sunken in. I wanted her to smile all the time, every single day and I wanted to be the one to make her smile.

" _Paul, do you think you can phase back?"_ Jake asked me, I didn't know if I could but then he showed me more pictures. Flashes of Bella, her stunning face, that smile that made the world make sense. I was starting to calm down, maybe I could phase back.

" _That's right Paul, you can do this."_ Jake told me, I was about to try and phase when the pictures of Bella left Jacobs head, his phone was ringing. Now his head was filled with Angela, his imprint.

" _Fuck, Angela is calling me. Stay with him Sam."_ And just like that Jake was gone from inside my head; I started to pace back and forth.

" _How do you live with this?"_ I asked Sam.

" _How do we live with the imprint?"_

" _No, how do you live with this feeling?"_ I asked I could feel that red hot wire but now instead of holding me down it felt painful, it was like it was getting tighter in a painful way. Gripping around my heart, trying to pull me back to where it belonged. Sam said nothing but I could feel his confusion, was something wrong? Was there something wrong with my imprint?

" _Wait, where's Quil?"_ I remembered him dragging me into the forest along with Jake and Sam.

" _Um, he stayed behind to watch Bella,"_ Sam answered distractedly.

Suddenly Jake was back. " _Alright Paul, Bella needs you."_ Suddenly nothing else mattered; everything that I was feeling didn't matter because she needed me.

" _What happened?"_ I asked.

" _Angela called, she and Bella are and my house, she said we need to come right now."_ Before he was even done talking I was sprinting towards his house.

I don't think I had ever run that fast in my life, the closer we got to the house the cooler the burning hot wire was around my heart but it was like the pull got stronger.

We were right outside his back door when Jake got in front of me and stopped.

" _You can't go in there like this, you have to phase if you want to see Bella. Can you do-"_ Suddenly I was back, it had never felt that easy for me to phase back before it was almost like falling asleep. It was as if my body knew Bella needed me. I didn't even have to try, I just let it happen.

"Alright Paul, put these on," Jake said handing me a pair of shorts. "I'm going to go in there and bring her out here ok? Sam is going to stay back here phased just in case something happens." I nodded and stood there waiting. I listened to Jake as he walked in the house and then starting talking to Bella, my Bella.

Then before I knew what was happening they were all coming outside, I was standing there looking at the ground trying not to phase. I didn't want to look at her, I mean I did more than anything I did, but last time I almost phased so I was just going to wait here, looking at the ground.

That was my plan until I heard her voice; it was like silk against my skin. My head shot up and I was struck again with her beauty. She was talking, I wasn't sure what she was saying but I heard her say her name hand put out her hand for me to take, so I told her my name and grabbed her hand. When I did it was like getting shocked but in the most amazing way. She was quiet for a second so I decided to say something.

"I just wanted to say I'm sorry I had to run off earlier," I said and I meant it. I didn't ever want to leave her again.

"Why did you?" she asked me, and I knew I couldn't lie to her. I looked up at Jake, I didn't think coming out and saying, 'Oh yea I'm a werewolf' was going to go over well. I was hoping he could understand what I wanted and when he nodded I turned around and walked back to the forest.

I slipped off my shorts and phased, my heart was pounding. Was this really the best way to tell her? I didn't have long to think about it, I started walking towards Jakes back door where they all were standing.

I had just cleared the tree line and I was trying to make myself look as small as possible when I saw her shaking her head. I took a half step forward and when I saw her take a step away from me it was like I split in two.

Of course she didn't want me, I was a fucking freak. Who the hell would want to be with someone like me? I could feel Sam in my head trying to say something but I didn't hear anything. I knew I would fuck this up before it even started, that's what I did best. Fuck things up. I was about to try and leave if I could make myself move when I saw her fall to the ground.

"Stop, please…" I knew she was talking to me so I sat there totally still trying not to think. She stood up and walked over to me and I couldn't take my eyes off of her. She was small but not as small as in Jakes memory of her. The fullness was back in her cheeks though she was still thin. And she was short, I mean everyone was to me but I had to be over a foot taller than her.

She stood in front of me for a second then bent down and ran a hand over the top of my head and I didn't know anything could feel this good.

"Paul…" I heard her say, and I knew it was over. Whoever I was before today, all the crap I'd done, it was over because the only thing that mattered was her. She was my world.


	3. The Explanation

_Authors Note: Thank you to everyone who's still reading. I make no promises about updating that I cannot keep but I will try my best to continue to write!_

Bella POV

Three days ago I was teaching 10 year olds about collages and today I was sitting in front of a giant wolf in my best friends' backyard. I thought I was done with the supernatural world but apparently it wasn't done with me.

After a few minutes of sitting on the ground in front of wolf Paul I started to shiver a bit. Before I could make a move Paul lifted his head and looked me in the eye. Another shiver ran down my spine but this time for an entirely different reason.

Suddenly, Paul jumped up and from my angle on the ground he looked…clausal, magnificent, slightly terrifying, and completely beautiful. He looked down at me with those eyes. They were bigger but they belonged to the man I met on the beach.

Looking him in the eye like this, when he was a wolf I started to feel something. It was a wire. It was hot, almost painfully so, I felt it wrap itself around my heart. I gasped and put my hand to my chest. Paul looked down at me confused…well…as confused as a giant wolf can look. He turned his massive head to look at Jake.

"Change back, we'll meet you inside." Jake said, with one last look at me, Paul turned around and trotted back into the forest. "You too Sam," Jake shouted a bit into the darkness. I turned my head to peer into the trees, was Sam in there too?

Just a few seconds later I saw the two native men I had met just an hour ago walk out of the tree line both shirtless. Sam was just behind Paul who walked up to me and put his hand out for me to take. I hadn't realized I was still sitting on the cold ground.

I put my hand in Paul's much larger one and was met again with a shock, not as strong as the first time we touched but still, it was there. As he pulled me up I realized he had the same hot skin Jake did. Was Jake able to become a humongous wolf too? What about Sam? And Quil had to at least know about it otherwise he wouldn't have known to help Sam and Jacob earlier with Paul. Why did they have to drag him off? My head was starting to spin with all the questions.

Looking up at Paul I knew I needed answers, and I needed them tonight.

"Come inside sweetie, you're going to catch a cold out there." Angie called from just inside the backdoor. Paul led us into the living room still holding on to my hand.

We took our seats to the side of Jake and Angie; they were sitting in the middle of the couch with Sam just to their right.

"So Bella, I'm sure you have some questions." Jake said leaning forward to rest is elbows on his knees.

"Uh, you think?" I replied sarcastically electing a snort/laugh from Sam.

"Well, let me explain a few things then you can ask whatever questions you have." Jake remained very serious through the whole exchange. I had never seen him like this, he looked like his father. "Many years ago our lands were visited by the Cold Ones." I sucked in a breath; he couldn't possibly know about vampires, could he?

"When the cold ones first arrived there were mass casualties. Men, women, even children. At the time some of the men in the tribe were spirt walkers, their sprits could walk around freely without the confines of a human body. It's said that during the first attack the chief of the tribe was spirt walking, his body was destroyed by the Cold Ones and he had to watch his wife's murder. Riddled with grief and with a deep fear for his people, he went to a wolf while in sprit form and asked for help.

"The wolf agreed and let the chief become one with his body. In control of this new form, he ran back to his tribe. As he ran passed the dead bodies of his people, he was suddenly filled with an all-consuming rage. It's said his form then exploded with all the power of his spirt. Taking this new form gave him supernatural speed and strength, enough that it allowed him to destroy all the Cold Ones.

"Now every time there are Cold Ones near the tribe the ancient power is awoken inside the decedents of the first shifter. At least that's what the legends say," Jacob finished.

"So you become a giant wolf too?" I asked looking to Jake and Sam, they both nodded.

"Do you remember your senior year when I got sick at the movie theater?" Jake asked me.

"Of course, you were sick for weeks…" I trailed off, was that what was happening?

"Around the time of puberty the wolf gene activates if there's a need to protect the tribe. That's what happened to me, to all of us." Jake explained patiently.

"What need was there when you were 16? And what do you mean all of us? How many more are there?" My head was spinning. I wasn't sure which questions to ask first, what was most important.

Jake looked between Sam and Paul as if trying to judge their reactions.

"When Jake first changed we were a bit surprised," Sam told me. "The Cold Ones had just left the area, but Jakes Great Grandfather was the leader of the original wolf pack. We were hoping it wouldn't happen but…one of them stuck around."

"The Cold Ones in the area…you don't mean..." I wasn't sure how to finish, I was almost positive who they were talking about but I had make a promise years ago not to say anything about their family to anyone, I wouldn't betray that promise. Even if though they had abandoned me…

"The Cullen's" Paul spoke for the first time but he wasn't looking at me when he spoke. It seemed like he was far away.

"Paul, you good?" Sam questioned moving forward lightly on the couch. He was talking to Paul but looking me up and down. Paul looked down to me before replying.

"I'm fine actually," he said sounding a little surprised. Now I was confused again.

"You didn't answer my other questions." I said after a moment of no one speaking.

"The pack was about 15 but Tanner and Heather are about to leave for college and Leah just found out about the baby," Jake explained.

"Leah, you mean Leah Clearwater? She's pregnant?" I had met Leah just once my senior year of high school and she was anything but maternal.

"She's changed a lot since the last time you saw her," Jake chuckled slightly.

"We'll come back to that. Ok, wait…you said something Sam," I can't believe I almost missed it. Sam seemed to know what I meant and his back went ridged at my words. "What…what vampire stayed behind?" I was almost certain I knew who he was talking about but I was praying it wasn't.

"Fucking redheaded leech. Not one of the Cullen's, they were long gone before she showed up." Jakes fists balled up when he spoke.

"Victoria," I whispered and suddenly 4 heads snapped in my direction.

"Do you know her?" Jake asked incredulously.

"We weren't really that close. Um…it's kind of a long story." I replied leaning back.

"I think we need to hear that story Bella," Sam told me seriously, his brow deeply furrowed.

"Ok, Sam you probably don't remember this but Jake and Angela might. Do you remember my first year here when I came back from Phoenix?"

"Of course, you had two huge casts on. I don't understand what this has to do with the leech." He said looking skeptical.

"We told everyone that I fell down the stairs, that's not exactly what happened." I explained looking down at the warm brown rug beneath my feet. I hadn't exactly planned on telling this story to anyone, ever.

"Bella, please explain," I looked up at Sam who's gaze was solidly fixed on me. It didn't escape my notice that next to me, Paul's posture had gone completely rigid. Instead of facing him or Jake I focused my gaze on the one person who hadn't said a word the entire time, Angie. I pretended we were the only people in the room. If it was just us, I could do this.

"My junior year I was in a clearing in the woods with the Cullen's, they were playing baseball when suddenly three nomadic vampires came out of the forest. Two men and a woman; Victoria, James, and Laurent, James was the leader. Let's just say he took a certain interest in me. Long, horrific story short, he ended up chasing me all the way to Phoenix. Jasper, Alice, and I were hiding in a motel room when James called; I thought he had my mother. I ended up running off to try and trade my life for hers," I told them trying not to think too hard about that day.

"You did what?!" Jake shouted, standing up looking angrier than I've ever seen him. Angela pulled his back down onto the couch and shushed him, then looked back at me nodding for me to continue.

"James had tricked me. He used a recording of my mom's voice to lure me into an empty dance studio. I won't get into details but he tried to kill me, and ended up biting me-," I was stopped short by Paul pulling me from the couch by my shoulders. My feet were dangling just a few inches off the floor. At first I wasn't exactly sure what was going on, Paul's eyes were flashing all over my body from head to toe. He quickly put back on my feet only to run his hands down my arms. When his fingers brushed passed the scar on my wrist he jerked his hand back hissing softly as if it hurt him.

I wrapped my hand around my scar holding it to my chest as I took a step back. For a moment Paul did nothing then, slowly he held his hand out.

"May I?" he asked tenderly. As soon as the words left his lips my hand was in his, by body reacted to his request before I could. It was as if I had no control, not that I didn't want him touching me. He was the most gorgeous man I had ever laid eyes on. He could put his hands where ever he liked.

Woah there Bella, keep it in your pants…

Paul gently ran his finger over the crescent shaped scar on my hand. It was colder than the rest of my skin, and Paul's heated touch stung causing me to gasp faintly.

"How?" he asked under his breath turning his intense gaze back to me.

"Edward…" was all I could whisper back at him.

"What exactly did Cullen do?" I heard Sam's voice right next to me making me jump. I hadn't realized everyone was now standing. Jake had Angela behind him; I could see her worried face peeking out from behind him. I tilted my head in question towards Angela and she nodded up at Jake who looked extraordinarily tense.

"Bella?" Sam said shaking my shoulder lightly. All at once several things happened, Sam's hand was ripped from its place on my shoulder, Paul placed himself in front of me blocking my view, and a loud growling noise erupted from his chest. I looked around Paul's back and saw Jake with Angela suddenly across the room, and Sam backing away from us with his hands help up in front of him.

"I'm sorry Paul, I wasn't thinking. Please, just calm down," Sam said backing away as much as the couch let him.

When the back of his legs hit the seat cushions and Paul's growling was only getting louder I knew that this could get ugly fast. So I did the only thing I could think. I placed my hand gently on Paul's arm. As soon as my skin touched his, the growling immediately stopped.

"I'm alright Paul, he didn't hurt me," I reassured him and just like that the tension slipped from his shoulders. He turned to face me and I took the opportunity to really look at him. His eyes weren't brown like most others in the tribe; they were a gentle swirl of dark to light hazel. The russet color of his skin was deep, a shade darker than Jake and Sam's. I was trying with everything I had not to look down at his chest but it being completely bare and rippled with muscles wasn't making that job an easy one.

Glancing back up at his face I saw him looking down at the floor.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"I'm so sorry Bella! I could have hurt, I could have-" he stopped short. Again I noticed his fists clenching and unclenching.

"But you didn't, did you?" I placed my hand on his cheek and gradually he brought his gaze back to mine.

"Are you good Paul?" Sam asked I glanced up at him curious as to why a startled look graced his face. Paul nodded but didn't look at him.

"Um…I think I have a few more questions." I turned back to Paul; discovering he hadn't taken his eyes off me during that entire exchange. The realization made a blush crawl up my cheeks.

"I should probably be the one to answer them." Paul said seriously.

He took my hand, leading me back to the couch we sat down again but this time we were facing each other.

"I don't understand what I'm feeling…"I told him honestly. It wasn't a question exactly but I really didn't know what I wanted to ask. For the second time tonight I felt the wire around my heart. It felt like a thin metal wire that had been slowly heating up since I first looked at Paul in wolf form.

"Have you ever heard of imprinting?" Paul asked me.

"Like baby geese? They imprint on the first living thing they see." Bit of an odd way to start a conversation but the evening as a whole hadn't been swarming in normality.

"It's similar yes. It's said when a shifter sees his soulmate for the first time he immediately knows. Sort of like love at first sight. He gives her a part of his soul, and they are forever bound together. We call it imprinting." He spoke softly and slowly as if not to frighten me away.

"I understand," I told him squeezing his hand in mine. It was very similar to what Alice had told me about mating with vampires. She explained that vampires only mated once in their whole lives. Many had gone hundreds of years without finding their mates but once they did there was nothing that could tear them apart.

It occurred to me once that had I really been Edwards mate he wouldn't have been able to leave right after meeting me.

"You do?" Paul looked skeptical.

"Vampires have something kinda close to imprinting but um…pause for a sec," my brain must have partially shut down because when Paul was explaining imprinting I hadn't really thought to apply it to our situation. "Do you mean to say that we um…I mean that you imprinted o-on me?" I stumbled out.

Paul just nodded his head and I felt my stomach bottom out.

"Oh no. No, no!" I whispered as I started to pace back and forth on the living room floor. This couldn't be happening. Not again. I already had one supernatural being lie about being my soulmate.

Although rationally I knew Jake wouldn't lie to me about this, he knew what I had been through with Edward and the Cullen's. He wouldn't be putting me through all this if he didn't have to.

My heart was pounding, I was starting to shake, and I felt cold all over. I wasn't sure how much of myself I had left to give. There was no way I would ever be enough for him, he was beautiful and strong. I was no match for him.

I continued to pace freaking out in my head about the possibility of returning to the shell of my former self, until Jake stood in front of me stopping me.

"Bella stop. This isn't going to be like with Cullen. If you aren't ready yet, there are options. Paul will be whatever you need him to be. A friend or a big bother, it's all your decision." Jake explained trying to calm me down.

I looked into his eyes but they were the wrong eyes. They weren't the hazel ones I was searching for. It all felt like too much. There were too many people here all watching me, waiting for me to react. I needed some space.

"I just need to think ok?" I begged him to understand and I stepped back then turned away. I couldn't bring myself to look at Paul as I walked through the front door. I went down the front steps, and then to the mailbox, it wasn't until I got passed the end of Jakes block that I felt it.

Felt it before I saw or heard it. Someone watching me, from just inside the trees making me stop dead in my tracks.

"Hello?" I called. Squinting slightly I saw the shadow of a form, I knew who it was before I could see them, and I called out again…


	4. The Answers

_Authors Note: Is anyone still out there reading? I'm doing my best to write when I can! I promise I'm still here._

Paul POV

"Paul?" she called softly from the side of the road. I came out of the shadow of the trees.

"How did you know it was me?" I questioned after stepping onto the asphalt with her. She placed her hand over her heart before she spoke.

"I could feel you," she whispered so low that I was sure I wasn't meant to hear.

"What did you feel?" I needed to be sure that this wasn't hurting her

"It's like this hot wire wrapped around my heart but I can only feel it when I'm close to you." She didn't look at me when she spoke; rather she turned her face and spoke to the trees. I took a step towards her tentatively. Could it be possible she was feeling what I was?

Maybe not as powerful but the metal wire that seemed to be getting hotter the closer we got to each other. It felt unbreakable and it tied me to her, could she possible have the same wire around her heart? I prayed to Taki Ahi that it wasn't as painful for her as it was for me.

"It doesn't hurt does it?" I asked rubbing my thumb across her cheek. She shook her head no and leaned into my touch but still wouldn't meet my eyes.

"I'm sorry for running earlier; there were just too many people in there. I wasn't running from you. I don't want you to think…" she was ashamed, that's why she didn't want to look at me.

"I turned into a giant wolf; I was kind of expecting the running. Surprised you didn't do this earlier actually." I chuckled a bit. "I would have given you your space but it isn't safe for you to be walking alone…and also it started to hurt when you walked away," I told her honestly.

"I hurt you?" her head suddenly flashed up to mine a panicked look in her beautiful milk chocolate eyes.

"The wire you were talking about, I feel it too. Earlier when I was running in the forest I could feel it getting hotter and tighter the closer I got to you. It was almost like you were on the other end pulling me towards you. As soon as I saw you walk out that door I could feel it getting hotter and tighter until I decided to go after you." I told her.

As she thought I couldn't help but trace her gorgeous face with my eyes.

She had porcelain skin that looked as soft as it felt. I tucked a wavy strand of hair behind her ear to get a better look at her eyes. They were a light tan on the outside that slowly twisted into a deeper brown towards her pupil.

When I looked into her eyes I felt the wire throb slightly, but not painfully so. I was sure that was because she was so close to me. The second she closed that door it was burning hot. I had just let her walk out with no protection. No one was on patrol. If this leech was here for Bella, even though Bella hadn't said anything to that effect yet I was almost positive that was where the story was going, then she could be waiting for her opportunity to strike. I wasn't going to give her that chance.

Somehow I knew if anything happened to Bella the wire around my heart would squeeze and squeeze until it tore my heart to pieces.

"Ok, before I can make any sort of decision about this imprinting thing I need to know more," she looked up at me now more determined for some reason.

"Alright, let's get you back inside. It's just going to get colder out here." I said looking her up and down. She was rubbing her upper arms and the shivering was coming backing.

"I don't want to go back to Jakes, can we go somewhere just the two of us?" she asked looking up at me with those eyes that hadn't stopped failing to make me melt. She could have asked me to kiss a leech and I probably would have…ok maybe not but I'd at least kiss like…Jake or something…

Dear gods, I'm an idiot.

"We can go to my place if you like; the walk from here's not bad." I offered pointing my thumb over my shoulder in the direction of my house.

"That sound great," Bella smiled up at me and my heart just about stopped. I didn't understand how someone so small had so much power over me. Seriously! She wasn't taller than 5'4" and probably weighed 100 pounds soaking wet. Compared to my big 6'5" 200 pound ass, she shouldn't have had any power in this situation but here I was wrapped around her slender finger not an hour into it.

I was so whipped, but I didn't care.

After walking the two blocks in less than 5 minutes we came to my driveway.

"Here, it's down this path. I'm sorry, I haven't installed any lights yet, it's on the list…somewhere" I chuckled.

We began to walk down the gravel path to my house; I walked a step in front of her to keep her in the danger-free zone. The gravel had been mostly washed out in the last bad storm we had and it was littered with potholes and wayward branches.

Not two minutes in I saw the toe of Bella's shoe catch the root of a tree trunk out of the corner of my eye. She was going to go face first into the gravel but she was in my arms before she could even get out a gasp.

Her huge eyes looked up at my in shock.

"How did you do that so fast?" she asked a little breathless.

"Quick reflexes," I said biting my lip to keep from laughing. Just a perk of being a freak of nature that turns into a giant wolf.

She righted herself but I couldn't stop touching her completely so I reached my hand out for hers praying she wouldn't pull away from me.

She laced her tiny fingers through mine and though my hands dwarfed hers it felt like two puzzles pieces fitting together.

Bella POV

My head was going a million miles a minute and my heart was pounding but I loved it. Being here with him felt amazing, I couldn't understand it.

Being away from everyone else I finally felt like I could take a breath. And being around Paul was an exceedingly easy thing to do. I felt comfortable to be myself now that we were finally able to talk alone.

Less than a minute into our walk a small wooden house came into view. The house had a deep dark brown exterior with deep green shutters on every window. A small porch wrapped around the side of the house and disappeared around the back of out of my view.

With my hand still in his scorching one, Paul pulled me up the front steps to his door. I couldn't see much in the dark but I could tell the door had something carved in it.

He pushed it open before I could take a closer look and we walked into his darkened house. He shut the door behind us and as soon as he flipped on the lights I had to try not to laugh.

Scattered all around were pieces of paper, on table tops and the counter in the kitchen. I could even spot some on the mantle. I took a few steps into the living room to try and get a look at something besides paper.

"Why don't you get a phone, you know they have apps for this kinda thing?" I teased him picking up one of the random slips. This one was a receipt for a hardware store; on the back in messy handwriting was a list.

Stove gas broken

Backdoor lock also broken

Get more gravel

Patch new hole

He wasn't kidding about the list.

"I cracked the last two I had," he said from his place in the entry way.

"You know they can fix a cracked screen," I said placing the paper I found back in its place.

"No, I cracked the whole thing, like in half in my hand," he said looking me right in the eye without a trace of teasing.

"Are you serious?" I asked more than a little shocked.

"Yea, Jake wasn't kidding earlier about the supernatural strength. In wolf and human form," he explained calmly.

I was starting to understand why Jake acted the way he did at the house earlier, grabbing Ang and pulling her across the room. If he was that strong I'm sure he could do some damage when he was upset, but he hadn't gotten upset the entire time we were alone.

"You're doing a mighty fine job of holding up that wall." I told him trying to hold back a smile. He smiled then looked down, I couldn't tell in this light but it almost looked like he was blushing.

"Sorry," he said softly pushing off and walking towards me. "I've never had a girl over here before, well Leah but she doesn't really count." His smile grew.

"So, you haven't dated anyone lately?" the second the question left my mouth the smile fell from his lips.

He walked over and grabbed a hold of my hand again.

"Can we sit?" he asked seriously. I nodded and let him pull me down on the soft leather couch next to him. It was a deep dark brown and felt smooth like only genuinely old leather can.

"I'm never going to lie to you Bella, even if the truth isn't the easiest thing to hear. I always want you to hear it from me first rather than someone else.

"When I said I've never brought a girl over here before its true, I don't date people Bella. It's never sat right with me, dating when the possibility of imprinting was always right around the corner." He said looking me in the eye. I was a little freaked out not really sure what to expect.

"Not going to lie though, after so many years of not imprinting I wasn't sure it was going to happen for me," he brushed the side of his thumb against my cheek. His heated touch leaving a trail in its wake.

"I didn't want to hurt anyone the way Leah was hurt when Sam imprinted on Emily. I felt how broken Leah was even years after it happened. It wasn't until she imprinted a couple years ago that her wounds finally started to heal. I swore I would never make a woman feel like that but I haven't exactly been a saint." His gaze had slowly left mine as he spoke and he was now looking out the front window into the night.

"I've been with other women Bella, but none of them ever made me feel anything. It was more like an itch that needed to be scratched every once in a while. Rather than a desire to not be alone, I didn't used to mind being alone most of the time. Pretty much the only people I like are Sam and Jake." His gazed returned to mine again and I was thankful. It felt amazing when he looked at me; he gave me a look like we were the only two people on the planet. As if the most important thing was what I was about to say next.

"Well I hope you're ok with the fact I have zero experience and no game what so ever." I chuckled but in all honesty I had no idea how to go about flirting with someone that wasn't born 100 years ago.

"You aren't mad at me?" he asked looking genuinely shocked.

"Paul…I can't fault you for doing something before we ever even met." I said smoothing the crease that formed between his worried brows. He closed his eyes at my touch and leaned in. He took a deep breath and for a second I thought he was smelling me.

His eyes snapped open and he pulled back looking ashamed.

"Sorry," he mumbled slightly.

"I want you to be yourself around me Paul, please." I asked reaching out for him again and he brought his face to my hand. We stayed like that for a moment before he got a mischievous look in his eye. It was the almost the same look Jake used to give me before he splashed water and me or threw something at me telling me to catch it in midair. Even though he knew very well I was coordinationaly challenged.

Paul's mischievous look grew into a smirk. I was about to question him when suddenly, we were airborne for a split second as Paul threw himself into a reclined position causing me to haphazardly land on top of him. A small squeak escaped my lips mid leap and Paul laughed.

I slapped his chest playfully before placing my head against his chest.

"Can I ask you something?" I asked slightly nervously.

"Anything Bella," my name fell off his lips as if it were a prayer.

"Why did you freak out earlier when Sam touched my arm?" I felt him tense slightly under me.

"It's kinda hard to explain, I don't want you to feel pressured." I could feel the vibration from his words with my head pressed to his chest like this.

"Please be open with me, I really don't scare that easy." I said lifting my head to look him in the eye.

Paul POV

Be open? Being open about this particular subject would make her run for the fucking hills. I was willing to be honest with her but I wasn't going to lose her before I even truly had her.

How could I tell her that I needed her more than anything? I needed her to love me and to be with me forever. I wanted her to be mine in every possible sense. I wanted to feel her naked body under mine and to hear her scream my name in ecstasy. I wanted to marry her and see her with our children. I wanted to build my life around this beautiful, magnificent, tiny woman in front of me.

But there was no way in _**hell**_ I was going to say that to her.

When I saw Sam touch the woman I was going to marry and love before I could even touch her properly and angered the wolf deep within me to the point where I had almost phased.

"When a wolf imprints it's hard for him to see others touch his imprint especially at first. I'm not exactly the most even tempered in the best of times, but it was incredibly wreck-less of me to put you in that kind of danger Bella. Had I phased in there-" he stopped short again.

"Phased?" I questioned.

"That's what we call it when we change from human to wolf form. It's not a graceful process, had you been to close you could have been really hurt or worse." He explained to me, looking down ashamed.

"I trust you," I told him honestly.

"You shouldn't, with everything else but not with this," he tried to tell me a very concerned look in his eye.

"So tell me about imprinting," I requested placing my chin on my hands choosing to ignore his comment.

"Well…I guess the most important thing to know is that what Jake said earlier is 100% true. I will be whatever you need, if all you need from me right now is a friend then I'll steal the best friend position right out from under Jake." He teased playfully making me giggle. I couldn't remember when I last giggled; I was probably 12 years old at the time.

"I will tell you that every imprint and imprintee that has stayed together, ended up in a romantic relationship eventually. I don't want you to feel any sort of pressure here Bella. You have complete control of the situation between us at all times. Please don't ever forget that," he spoke with such sincerity I couldn't feel an ounce of distrust in me.

"A wolf cannot live without his imprint, and we're pretty sure it goes the other way around too but thankfully we've yet to have the need to put it to the test. Even now you already mean so much to me. Just the thought of not having you near me puts me in physical pain," an agonizing looked crossed his face. Immediately, I reached my hand up to sooth him and was elated when he leaned into my touch.

"Um…I don't know how well that whole "friend" thing is going to go. I'm pretty sure you don't feel this way about your friends," I said feeling the wire tug at me again.

"Is it bad that I'm extremely happy to hear you say that?" Paul asked with a huge goofy smile on his face making me laugh out loud.

"Actually I'm glad we're on the same page," I winked and his jaw dropped almost comically so.

"Ok! New rule! You are not allowed to do that!" Paul said mockingly stern.

"Why not?" I laughed.

"Because it is way too sexy," he smirked at me that devilish smile returning again. I had a feeling that smile was going to get me into trouble. I bit my lip and tried not to blush.

"Dear gods Bella, do you have any idea what you're doing to me?" he used his thumb to remove my lip from the death grip my teeth had on it only to run his finger along that very same lip.

I pressed my lips to the tip of his thumb and placed a small kiss there. Paul's eyes widened slightly before he deliberately closed them and took a deep breath.

Without opening his eyes he pulled us into a sitting position and took another slow, deep breath.

"Are you hungry? I'm hungry, you want some dinner?" as he spoke he stood and walked to the kitchen, all the while his eyes remained closed.

Paul POV

"You can cook?" Bella asked me. I could hear a rustling of clothes moving on the leather of the couch and assumed Bella had turned around to face me.

"Um…no actually," I said dumbly but the cooking thing was all I could come up with. As soon as Bella's maddeningly soft lips touched the skin on my thumb it took everything in me not to throw myself on top of her and fuck her till she couldn't even say her own name.

I knew her beautiful little body would be no match for mine. Not that she would try and fight me, I could smell her already. I could picture it in my head; almost taste her on my lips already. As I saw the scene of my head nestled between Bella's legs, and her head thrown back screaming my name I felt myself get hard.

Fuck! My eyes snapped open. I was not helping the situation!

"I'm also pretty sure all I have in the fridge is some cheese and some lunch meat," both were without a doubt passed the expiration date.

"Why don't we just order a pizza or something?" she offered. As I looked over my shoulder I could see her trying to conceal her smiling, not well I might add.

I walked around the counter, so as not to mentally scar her with the sight of the enormous tent in my pants, then turned around to face her fully.

"What kind of pizza?" I asked picking up my home phone from the cradle and dialing the familiar number.

"My favorite is supreme but I'm pretty flexible," she said. Holy fuck, I hoped she was flexible, and once again thanked the gods. If I had a rabbit for an imprint I don't think I would have survived.

Alright Paul, get your head out of the fucking gutter dude.

I took as much time as possible placing the order, begging my raging hard-on to subside. After I had ordered enough pizza for 10 regular people I joined Bella back on the couch.

"So…where did we leave off with this imprinting thing?" Bella asked from her position tucked into the corner of the couch.

"Oh right, you were just about to go into detail about how amazingly sexy you thing I am." I teased. It had to be going somewhere near there…hopefully.

"I don't believe we were quite to that section of the evening just yet," she smirked at me. I loved that she could stay caught up with my sarcastic humor.

"Yet?" I winked at her. I saw the slight blush creep up her cheeks in the most adorable way.

"I actually did have a question, if you don't mind?" she asked looking up at me from under her lashes.

"You can ask me anything Bella," I told her honestly. I was just hoping she wouldn't be asking me about my sudden need to be half way across the room from her.

"Well…I was wondering earlier when you said every couple that had stayed together ended up in a relationship, so was there ever a couple that didn't stay together?" she asked looking up into my eyes.

Damn, why did she have to listen so well? I was really hoping she would have just overlook that part of the story.

"Zach and Marissa, Zach was a fairly new wolf. He had just gone back to school after his first phase and walking into his first class, bam he imprinted. Immediately he calls Sam, who was the Alpha at the time, up at the construction company to tell him what happened. I was there at the time so I heard everything, Sam trying to calm the kid down then explain what to do.

"We pretty much did the same thing as with you only with a little more prep. Jake said you were good with weird, but as it turned out Marissa that great with it. The second Zach walked out of the tree line in wolf form Marissa ran for it. She went straight to her car, it was getting dark and a storm was coming in from the ocean. She ended up running off the road and smashing her car into a tree.

"Zach was running beside her the whole time so he called an ambulance and held her until they got there.

"For three days Marissa's parents agonized over wither or not they should just let her go. There was no brain function, so in the end they decided it was best to let her go in peace.

"As soon as they pulled the plug on Marissa, Zach it the floor, he was gone before they could even get him on a gurney."

"He died?!" she asked her eyes wide open looking up at me.

"Yes, everyone always knew, with how strong the imprint bond is that something terrible would happen should one lose the other. But we could never have guessed it would be so sudden and so certain. Ever since then every imprint is looked after by the entire pack. We don't take any chances," I explained the best that I could. It had been a difficult time for the pack; we had never before lost a brother or sister. And we never wanted to feel that pain again.

Bella leaned forward and threw her arms around my neck, and in return I wrapped my arms around her tiny frame.

"I'm so sorry that happened to all of you, Paul it must have been awful." She said sounds a little teary.

"Don't worry beautiful, we got through it together and we won't ever let anything like that happen again," I reassured her.

For a few minutes we stayed like that, just holding each other. She was the first to pull away from our embrace.

"I'm in this Paul; I don't want to hurt you. I already care so much about you; I'm not going to run anymore. I won't ever do that again," she said looking so determined. I didn't know what I had done to deserve an imprint like this.

"Thank you," I whispered pulling her back into my arms as softly as my excitement would allow. "I won't ever make you regret this decision Bella, I swear to you."


End file.
